Rika Decides Against Renewing Her Wedding Vows
by SpecificTaigu
Summary: When Rika comes down with a high fever, Satoko and Hanyuu stay home to take care of her. They soon find that a feverish Rika is somewhat different to deal with than a healthy one. (SatoRika)


Rika did not get sick very often, so when she came down with a high fever and needed to stay home from school, Satoko jumped at the chance to be helpful and dote on her ailing friend until she felt better.

But Rika did not get sick very often, so Satoko had had no idea what to expect from a Rika who was burning with fever and very unhappy about being confined to her futon.

Rika was behaving strangely and speaking in a way that Satoko had never heard before; she sounded like she was stuck between the happy, cutesy way she spoke in public and the somber, mature voice she used when she thought no one was listening. The effect was jarring and really unsettling in a way Satoko could not really explain. Hanyuu, who had also stayed home to help tend to Rika, reacted to it with lots of cringing and anxious whimpering.

"I don't want to be in my futon," Rika grumbled, throwing her blankets across the room.

Satoko gathered the blankets up, strode over to Rika, and gently pushed her back down onto the futon, throwing the blankets on top of her. "You need to rest, Rika. You're sick, and resting will help you get better."

Rika whined pitifully. "Satoko. I want to play."

Satoko gently dabbed a wet cloth against Rika's forehead. "I know. We can play when you feel better, okay?"

Rika relented, her eyes softening a little at Satoko's touch. "Okay."

Hanyuu peered over Satoko's shoulder, apparently hiding from the full brunt of Rika's fevered gaze. "She could probably use some fluids. Some cold water might help."

Satoko nodded. "Yeah, I agree. That sounds good."

Rika suddenly sat bolt upright in bed, startling Hanyuu back a few steps and causing Satoko to drop the cloth to the floor. Rika's mouth was agape, and she stared at Satoko as though she was seeing her in a whole new light and she very much did not like what she saw.

"Satoko!" she cried, throwing out an accusatory finger vaguely in Satoko's direction. "You liar! You promised! You promised you'd never agree with Hanyuu! Never ever ever!" She shook her head, tossing her hair back and forth in violent waves.

Hanyuu stared at Satoko, hurt etched across her face. "How could you promise something so cruel?"

Satoko rolled her eyes at Hanyuu, gently patting Rika's shoulder. "I never promised that."

Rika grew indignant. "You did! You promised!"

Satoko retrieved the cloth, dampened it again in some cool water, and returned to gently dabbing it against Rika's forehead, speaking as she went. "When did I promise that?"

Rika's face scrunched in concentration. "A long time ago," she offered.

"A long time ago," Satoko repeated.

"Yes!" Rika nodded, looking suddenly confident. "You promised it when we became friends!"

Hanyuu made an unhappy hauing, and Satoko chose to ignore her. Two unreasonable Furudes was one more than she was willing to deal with.

"I didn't know about Hanyuu until years after we became friends, Rika."

Rika folded her arms across her chest and swayed from side to side. "Sa-to-ko," she sang, each syllable a distinct note, "it's in your contract."

"Contract?" Satoko and Hanyuu asked in unison.

Rika nodded eagerly. "Mhm, your contract."

Hanyuu shot Satoko a dubious look, and Satoko shook her head. "That's ridiculous. What contract?"

Rika wibbled back and forth a little as she raised one finger into the air, and Satoko leaned forward to help her stay upright. "You know. 'In sickness and in health, forever and ever...'" She trailed off, smiling broadly.

Satoko eased Rika down onto her back, resting the damp cloth on her forehead. She sighed. "Rika, those are wedding vows."

Rika shook her head, causing the cloth to slide off once more, her eyebrows pulled together in a serious expression. "No, no. I don't want vows at our wedding, Satoko. I don't like them."

Hanyuu's shout of alarm earned her a scathing look from Satoko, so she clamped her hands over her mouth and retreated to the corner.

Satoko replaced the cloth gently, seemingly more puzzled than anything else. "Why don't you like vows?"

Hanyuu moaned softly, "That's the wrong question to be asking, no matter how you look at it."

Rika grumbled unhappily at Hanyuu's voice, and Satoko turned to look at the small goddess sulking in the corner. "You're not helping."

Hanyuu looked affronted. "As though either of you will let me!"

Rika's face darkened, and she looked like she was about to say something harsh. Satoko tenderly stroked the top of Rika's head to settle her down before she turned back to Hanyuu, who had puffed out her cheeks in indignation.

"Hanyuu," Satoko said in the sweetest tone she could muster, "it would be a huge help if you could go to town and get some honey and ginger. We ran out this morning, and I think Rika would really appreciate it if you replaced it."

Hanyuu looked at Rika with suspicion. "You think _she_ would appreciate _me_?"

Satoko nodded, trying to keep Rika placated with gentle pats on the head long enough to get Hanyuu out the door. "Oh yes. She would be really, _really_ happy to know that you helped so much when she was sick. I'm sure she will praise you a lot once she feels better."

"I don't know," Hanyuu hesitated. "Are you sure you can handle it on your own?"

Satoko could feel Rika getting restless, and she knew that her window to argue with the stubborn goddess was closing fast. So she gave Hanyuu the last little nudge she needed. "There's money in the drawer in the hallway. If you like, you can stop on the way back and pick up some cream puffs."

Hanyuu lit up like the night of a festival, and took off down the hallway with a spring in her step, calling back over her shoulder, "I leave the rest to you, Satoko! I'll be back soon!"

And just like that they were all alone. Satoko smiled down at Rika who looked back up at her with a puzzled expression. "Good work, Rika. You didn't say anything too mean to Hanyuu. I'm proud of you."

Rika glanced around the room, seeming to only just now realize that Hanyuu had gone. "Hanyuu was the one being mean." Rika frowned. "She said mean things about our wedding."

"I know, I know," Satoko nodded, absentmindedly running her fingers through Rika's long hair. "Now that she's gone do you want to talk about why you don't like vows?"

Rika raised her hand to grasp Satoko's arm, her eyes big and sad as they gazed up at her. "Because when I promise things they don't come true. I can't promise because I don't want to curse our happiness."

Satoko smiled, brushing strands of Rika's hair out of her face with her free hand. "I don't think that'd be enough to curse us, Rika. You've built up many years full of love, haven't you?"

Rika frowned in worry. "But, Satoko…"

Satoko gently patted the top of Rika's head. "Besides, I _always_ keep my word. So even if you wanted to curse us, it wouldn't work."

Rika smiled a huge, unguarded smile, radiating more joy than Satoko had ever seen, and she opened her arms wide, clasping and unclasping her hands in an invitation. Satoko leaned down and hugged Rika to her, not minding for a few short moments that the cloth had slipped to the ground again or that Rika's face was much too warm as it nuzzled against her cheek.

"Love you, Koko," she murmured in Satoko's ear.

Satoko sighed in contentment, rubbing her hands gently against Rika's back. "I love you too, Rika."

When Hanyuu returned later that day, arms full with boxes of cream puffs, she found Satoko wrapped up in Rika's arms. Both of them slept peacefully together in Rika's futon wearing small, contented smiles; Rika mumbled softly in her sleep, and the only intelligible words Hanyuu could make out were Satoko's name.

Hanyuu thought for a moment that she should rouse Satoko and scold her for being careless about catching Rika's fever, but she realized that the house had not been so serene in a long time. There was an overwhelming sense of comfort and quiet in the air, and Hanyuu decided that she would leave it be. If Satoko came down with a fever, Rika was sure to do all she could to help her feel better just as Satoko had done for her.

That's what friends were for, after all.


End file.
